Mounting for outboard motors



May 31, 1938. a A. ELLUDERS, JR 2,119,281

MOUNTING FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed July 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

y 1938- A. E. LUDERS, JR

MOUNTING FOROUTBOARDMOTORS 'Filed July 24, 1936 2 Sheds-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

g ATT O NEY5.

Patented May 31, 1938 INIED srnre ldihzti T FEQ 6 Claims.

This invention is directed primarily to the provision of an improved arrangement providing auxiliary power for a sail boat, and to an outboard motor and mounting therefor utilizable in boats generally.

An object is to provide an outboard motor unit which may be carried normally within the boat in an inconspicuous and protected position and be readily movable into operative position when and as needed or desired.

A further object is toprovide a simple and effective arrangement for disposing an outboard motor in the hull of a boat, so that the motor is quickly available for use, when needed, said arrangement including provision to prevent the escape of fumes or liquids from the motor unit or its storage space to the hull of the boat generally.

Still another object is to provide an outboard motor support and housing which shall occupy substantially minimum space and be capable of effective use in connection with boats varying from each other radically in design.

Specific objects include the provision of a storage receptacle and mounting for an outboard motor, wherein a comparatively long propeller shaft, with a propeller thereon, may be stored transversely of, parallel with, or at any desired angle relative to the axis of the boat.

The particular embodiments shown constitute arrangements for mounting the outboard motor for operation at the side of the hull and storing the motor in a compartment built into the aft portion of the hull, as below the after deck structure, but it is to be understood that the principles hereof are applicable in mounting an outboard motor in any other desired position, for instance at the transom.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description relating to the accompanying drawings, showing various preferred arrangements. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of the after portion of a sail boat hull, showing the outboard motor in operating position; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View, illustrating the nature of the storage receptacle or compartment; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken transversely of the hull, as indicated by the line ii3 on Fig. 1, the View showing diagrammatically the stored position of the outboard motor; Fig. 4 is a plan View of a modified form of the motor mounting and storage receptacle; Fig. 5 is a sectional View thereof, as indicated by the line 5-5 on Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating still another modified form of motor mounting and, diagrammatically, various positions in which the motor and propeller unit may be swung; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View thereof, as indicated by the line 'll on Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 on Fig. 7.

Referring first to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the hull of the vessel is indicated at i, with side walls or wales 2, a bottom wall 3 and keel i, the hull being generally covered as shown by after deck panelling 5.

The storage receptacle or compartment for the motor comprises a box iii, having continuous side walls 5 I and a bottom wall 12. The compartment is preferably liquid and gas tight and the side walls are sealed in suitable fashion as against the under-side of the after-deck panelling. The receptacle or compartment is supported by suitable members, such as shown at M and it which, as shown, are supported by the framework of the boat. The compartment has a cover which may be flush with the deck panelling or slightly raised as illustrated, said cover having depending marginal flanges I], which may form a labyrinth joint with a marginal flange it formed on or secured to the panelling 5. The cover may, instead, directly engage the container walls, and any known means or expedient may be used to insure sealing the edges against passage of liquid or gas into and out of the compartment when the cover is closed. Such cover may be hinged, as at E9.

The outboard motor unit may be of any type or design. Preferably it has a comparatively large, slow-turning propeller with an extra long propeller shaft and supporting frame work for the propeller mounting and shaft. As shown, the unit comprises a motor 28, an elongated framework 25 depending therefrom, which supports a mounting 22 and suitable gearing for driving the propeller 23. The mounting acts in part as a guard for the propeller and may also constitute a rudder effect, as is usual with outboard motors.

The motor and the depending framework is carried on a bracket 25, having a lower horizontal flange 26 on which the motor assembly is mounted, an upright portion adapted to rest against the hull and an inwardly extending arm terminating in a hinge 28 which is operatively attached to the hull of the boat. The bracket in all instances shown, is of substantially Z-bar shape, that is, it has substantially parallel flange portions connected by a web effect which lies in a plane substantially normal to the flanges; one flange supporting the motor and one connected with the hinge, while the web rests against the hull. The hinge pin is carried, as shown, on a pair of brackets 29, which are rigidly supported by the hull of the boat, either directly or through the medium of the compartment walls in case these are built strongly enough to carry theimposed loads. The hinge axis, as shown, lies below the cover i6, and the bracket 25 has the proper outreach from said axis so that the motor may be swung bodily from its operating position, as i1lus-' trated in full lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, tostored position as illustrated in broken lines in Fig. 3. In the operating position of the bracket 25 the same may be detachably locked to the hull by any suitable fastening means. For illustration a latch device 30 having a flat head adapted to pass through a slot 3| in the bracket is pivotally attached to the underlying wall of the boat, said device being adapted to be turned to overlie the bracket on each side of the slot, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the outboard motor unit is secured at the side of the hull, as shown, this would naturally have a tendency to steer the boat in one direction and accordingly the motor may be turned as on a pivotal mounting (not shown), and locked in such position that the normal driving reactions of the propeller are so directed that the boat maintains a straight course with the main rudder in non-steering position. Alternatively, steering may be accomplished in some cases by the outboard motor unit, which may have a tiller arm 32, detachably secured thereto as at 33.

In the stored position of the motor unit, a portion of the framework 2| rests on a supporting block 35, on the floor [2 of the compartment. It is to be understood that ancillary equipment for the motor as well as reserve fuel and lubricant supply may be stored as on suitable racks or fastenings inside the compartment. In the design of motors adapted to be carried part of the time within the boat, automatically operating means is provided to seal the fuel system against leakage whenever the motor unit is in recumbent position.

The hinge construction may be modified in instances where the hull is comparatively narrow in the region at which it is desired to support the motor unit, whereby the compartment may be disposed lengthwise of theboat or at anydesired angle relative to its axis. Referring to Figs. 4' and 5,these illustrate the compartment Illa extending general- 1y parallel to the axis of the boat, and the hinge axis extends obliquely to the axis of the compartment, being located at one end thereof. By way of minimizing the lateral dimensions of the compartment, one end of the hinge pin is preferably raised, see particularly Fig. 5, it being found that where the unit is disposed at an angle approaching relative to the boat side it requires a considerably wider compartment if the hinge axis lies parallel to the plane of the top-of the boat.

The brackets 29a which support the out-reaching arm .lla of the bracket 25a, may be mounted on rigid portions of the hull or special framework thereon as previously described.

The arrangement of Figs. 4 and 5 would, of course, have a suitable cover (not illustrated) and the cover may have a portion which overlies the hinges, to conceal all parts of the mounting as well as the motor and propeller mechanism in the stored position of the unit.

Referring now to Figs. 6 to 8, it will be seen that the inner end of the motor unit supporting bracket lies entirely below the deck paneling. A further feature illustrated is the provision of a double hinge, whereby the motor unit may be swung to and stored in any desired position with a single design of hinge, so that hulls of various widths can have the compartments built therein as best suited to each case. The motor supporting bracket arm Ell), has its inner bifurcated end turned downwardly, as at 4! and the downwardly turned end carries a hinge pin 4!, which extends horizontally through a vertically pivoted head 43, a detail of which is shown in Fig. 8. As there shown, the head 43, has a vertical shank 44 secured as by a suitable nut to a fiat bracket 45,

extending over the top of the decking and secured thereto. With this arrangement the bracket and motor unit thereon may be swung inwardly over the side and stored in a compartment which extends from the hinge in any desired direction. In other words the compartment may be located to accommodate the motor unit in any of the illustrative positions thereof diagrammatically illustrated at M, M, and M Fig. 6, without having to alter the hinge construction.

I claim:

1. In marine propulsion apparatus, an outboard motor unit, comprising a propeller, driveshaft and motor, and a bracket supporting the motor unit in operating position, said bracket having an upright portion adapted to abut the outer wall of the boat and an inwardly extending arm hingedly attached to the boat on an axis lying inwardly from said wall, the hinge being so arranged that the motor unit may be swung upwardly and inwardly into the boat, with the arm depending from the hinge.

2. In marine propulsion apparatus, a mounting for an outboard motor, comprising a fixed sup port having a block pivoted thereto on a vertical axis, a bracket attached to the block on a generally horizontal axis, whereby the bracket with a motor and propeller unit mounted thereon may be swung from an operating position outside the boat into a carrying position within a boat and disposed in said boat at various angles relative to the axis of the boat.

3. In an outboard motor unit, a bracket adapted to reach inwardly over a wall of a boat, a hinge for the bracket which is attachable to such boat inwardly from its side wall, said bracket being in the general form of a Z-bar, the web of which is adapted to abut the side of such boat in the operating position of the unit, one flange of which is adapted to support the motor and the other flange carrying part of the hinge.

1. In combination, an upwardly open receptacle adapted to be mounted within a boat hull, a bracket of the general shape of a Z-bar having one flange portion operatively hinged at one wall of the receptacle, said flange being adapted to extend outwardly from the receptacle over the edge of the hull, a motor and propeller assembly mounted on an outlying portion of the bracket and swingable with the bracket entirely into said receptacle.

5. An outboard motor and mounting, comprising a bracket adapted to be hinged to a boat inwardly from one of its side walls so that the bracket may be swung transversely of the boat inside of it, said bracket having a portion which extends generally horizontally from the hinge in the operating position of the bracket, a portion which depends from the aforesaid portion so that it may abut the hull, and another portion which extends outwardly as a shelf, and a motor and frame assembly secured to the last-mentioned portion of the bracket, said assembly having a motor above the shelf effect, and a propeller shaft extending below the bracket, having its lower end connected to a propeller. i

6. In a marine propulsion apparatus, a mounting for an outboard motor comprising a support adapted to be secured to a boat hull, a bracket hinged to the support on a diagonal axis, the bracket being swingable to one side or the other of the support, a motor and propeller unit carried by the bracket and adapted to lie within or outside of a boat hull to which the support may be secured.

' ALFRED E. LUDERS, JR. 

